There’s nothing reserved about this Wild Turkey bourbon.
The Russell’s Reserve line is one of Wild Turkey’s most popular spinoffs – and for good reason. The line includes just about everything you could ask for: six-year-old rye, single barrel bourbon, a ten-year-old small batch, and a few limited releases.
The ten-year-old small batch, also known as Russell’s 10 Year is exactly what it sounds like. The bourbon is aged for ten years and is a direct descendent of the famous Wild Turkey mash bill. The family resemblance is pretty apparent up front, with a strong woody and slightly earthy smell. However from there, the family traits start to fade away. For us, Wild Turkey is known for a sweet, vanilla, and caramel flavor rounded out by some slight, rye spices. But somehow those traits weren’t passed down to Russell’s 10 Year.
Despite the promising oak smell, the bourbon has a fairly watery flavor with only slight notes of vanilla and oak. The main flavor star is heat, which is thankfully tamed down by the watery flavor. The flavor does end on a peppery note, but it’s a short finish that really doesn’t linger. Since the bottle itself claims the bourbon is “spicy,” and with the Wild Turkey mash bill backing it up, we were really hoping for some more complex spices.
As big Wild Turkey fans, the chance to try Russell’s Reserve 10 Year was exciting. We were hoping to find a bourbon from a killer mash bill that had the chance to age, develop, and become a spectacular whiskey. Unfortunately, we found a bourbon that’s relying just a bit too much on an age statement and not enough on the overall flavor and experience.
STATS: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon
- Price for us: $40 for 750 mL
- Proof: 90
- Aged: 10 Years
- Distillery: Wild Turkey
- Recommendation: Mixer
